548: Before Photoshop: How SEGA’s Sonic Artwork Was Made – The Retro Hour EP548

How do you turn a handful of pixels into one of gaming’s most recognisable characters? Recorded live at RetroMessa 2026, Dan and Joe meet illustrator Duncan Gutteridge, whose hand-painted artwork helped define Sonic’s European image during SEGA’s 16-bit glory years. Duncan recalls reimagining Sonic 2, creating artwork for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, working with airbrushes, phones and fax machines, and enjoying a level of creative freedom that would be almost unthinkable today. He also reveals the fate of his long-lost original Sonic paintings.
Amiga Bill Links: Twitch.tv/AmigaBill (twitch.tv/AmigaBill)
YouTube.com/@AmigaBill
AmigaBill.tv
Twitch.tv
Contents:
00:00 – The Week’s Retro News Stories
1:06:00 – Duncan Gutteridge Interview
Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show:
Bitmap Books – bitmapbooks.com
Go to surfshark.com/retrohour or use code RETROHOUR at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!
Check out PCBWay at pcbway.com for all your PCB needs
PlayEXPO Blackpool: playexpoblackpool.com
We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you’d like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon:
theretrohour.com/support
patreon.com/retrohour
Join our Discord channel: discord.gg/GQw8qp8
Website: theretrohour.com
Facebook: facebook.com/theretrohour
X: twitter.com/retrohouruk
Instagram: instagram.com/retrohouruk
Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/theretrohour.com
Twitch: twitch.tv/theretrohour
Show notes
New Doom-Style Shooter for 3DO: lnk.ua/znInXLNwM
GTA Arrives on Amiga: lnk.ua/ERRtnHKLk
Portrait Ridge Racer Port: lnk.ua/m0xu68aPx
New 4:3 Retro Gaming Monitor: lnk.ua/PZX3RS7zK
LEGO PlayStation 1 Set Revealed: lnk.ua/fAPHMgWXi
Portal Demake Arrives on GBA: lnk.ua/QqQkLQGr5